


She Told Me

by bri_notthecheese



Series: The Words We Share [2]
Category: Uncharted (Video Games)
Genre: F/F, Gen, bless that one person that gave us the Treasure Hunting Family Barbecue™ idea
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-11-21
Updated: 2017-11-21
Packaged: 2019-02-05 02:20:23
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,727
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12784845
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/bri_notthecheese/pseuds/bri_notthecheese
Summary: Following Chloe's heart to heart with Nate, her and Nadine need to have a little one of their own. And perhaps make it to a barbecue afterwards.





	She Told Me

**Author's Note:**

> This is a sequel to my fic "Tell Her", so while this can stand on its own, it'd probably be a bit more satisfying after reading the first part of the series.
> 
> I want to say thank you to everyone who commented on that first fic. They meant so much to me, and the multiple messages I received asking me to do a sequel prompted this work. I had vague ideas of continuing it before I had even published the first one but had planned to push it off in lieu of other projects first, but your support had me cranking this piece out. It's one of the fastest fics I've written. So thank you to all of you, and I hope you enjoy! <3
> 
> Also, shout out to Ginel for always reading my stuff first and letting me know if it's flowing and not sounding horrible.

Of all the places in the world she could be, Nadine finds herself sitting on the couch of the Drakes’ residential home in the U.S. The chatter drifts in easily from outside due to the open glass door, and Nadine will rejoin the group in just a moment, but she allows herself a quick breather in order to absorb the bizarreness of the situation.

Number one. She is sitting on the couch of Nathan Drake.

Number two. His brother Samuel Drake is just outside amongst the chatter.

Number three. She is going to be having a meal with these people.

Number four. Chloe Frazer is outside too. Chloe also happens to love her.

And that number four is the entire reason she’s here. Nadine perhaps could have been swayed to accompany Chloe regardless of those three little words, but it certainly would have taken a lot more begging.

But since those three little words preceded the invitation to this barbeque, Nadine agreed easily enough. If she was going to keep Chloe in her life for good, which she strongly planned to, that included everyone else that was a part of Chloe’s life as well.

~x~

“You have something to say?”

Chloe blinks up at her, practically a deer in headlights. Her mouth opens and shuts a few times before she licks her lips and gestures to the seat on the couch next to her. “I do, but gimme a minute, ‘kay?”

“Why?”

Nadine knows she’s being difficult. She also doesn’t care. Her and Chloe shared a few wonderful nights together--- finally crossing that boundary that had been crumbling for months, and before she can say anything, ask any sort of question of ‘What are we doing here exactly?’, Chloe essentially kicks her away, suggesting a visit home might be a good idea.

Nadine’s still stung, and while she does want to hear Chloe’s explanation, she isn’t willing to make it easy for the woman. Especially if it's a painful one.

“Nadine, please, just sit.”

Nadine does take a seat, albeit right on the edge of the cushion, crossing her arms. She waits. Chloe is silent, clearly distressed about something, but she opens their talk with the classic “How was your flight?”

Nadine sighs. She really shouldn’t have expected more this early in the conversation, but sometimes she allows herself to hope. “It was fine.”

“Good. That’s good.” Chloe wrings her hands together. “How was the family?”

“Doing well. It was really nice to see them.”

“I’m glad.” Chloe pauses, scrambling for another question to latch onto. “Get enough to eat?”

“Isn’t this awkward for you?”

“Very, but I’m trying to figure out what you’re feeling before I say what I have to say.”

“You want to know how I feel? Seriously? Can’t you guess? My partner, my best friend, kisses me underneath the northern lights--- a place she’s known I’ve wanted to see my whole life. We postpone everything else for three days just so we can spend more time together. Intimately. Then when you decide time’s up, you run out of there saying nothing.”

Chloe looks miserable, but what Nadine’s getting at hasn’t seemed to register yet.

“I feel used, Chloe. I don’t know what I am to you. I thought I did but when you rushed out of there…well, my assumptions were clearly incorrect.”

“No, Nadine, that’s not…I didn’t mean…”

Nadine hears the waver in Chloe’s voice and tries to keep it out of her own. “Then why run?”

“I had to.”

“Why?”

“I didn’t know what else to do.” Chloe whimpers, and it’s the first time during their argument that Nadine stops and takes in Chloe’s appearance. Her hair’s messier than normal, her fingernails have very clearly been chewed on, and her eyes are red. Nadine notes the bags under her eyes. _Has she been sleeping?_

“Then why am I here?”

“Because I know what I have to do now. Or somewhat at least.” Chloe fakes a laugh; perhaps hoping it’ll boost her confidence. “But I still don’t know if I can say it.”

Nadine’s heart picks up. “Say what?”

“Say what I need to say.”

“Why not?”

“Because I don’t know if I can say it in a way that sounds right. You deserve that Nadine, and I don’t know if I can give it to you.”

Nadine’s heart softens. Desperation floods Chloe’s features. Nadine suspects what Chloe wants to say, and if she’s correct, then it’s no wonder it’s so difficult for her to get it out. She decides to take pity on her and offers up her hand. “Come here.”

Chloe, terrified and on the verge of tears, grabs onto her hand like a lifeline. Nadine gently tugs it and Chloe lifts herself up slightly and moves the few feet over to Nadine on the couch. She won’t look her in the eyes.

“If you can’t say it out loud, then whisper it to me.” Nadine guides Chloe towards her shoulder. “You don’t have to look me in the eyes.” _Although we’ll work on that later._ “Just tell my ear. Please, Chloe.”

Chloe’s breath tickles Nadine’s ear and neck as the woman leans against her. Nadine wraps her arm around Chloe’s waist and tries to ignore her own racing heart, not wanting to get any semblance of hope up in case she’s wrong.

One breath.

Chloe sucks in some air and swallows loud enough for Nadine to hear.

Two breaths.

Sparks shoot through Nadine’s body as Chloe presses her hand to Nadine’s abdomen.

Three breaths.

Chloe’s nose presses into the top of Nadine’s ear as her lips hover next to it.

“I love you.”

Her whisper is quiet, yet so clear, and Nadine lets out a choked laugh. Her arms crush Chloe into an embrace and Chloe is clinging to her just as enthusiastically. She isn’t sure who starts it, but suddenly they’re both giggling in each other’s arms and it’s wonderful.

Nadine remembers she hasn’t done her part and extracts Chloe slightly so she can look her in the eyes. Cupping her check with one hand, she tries to throw all of her emotions into it as she tells her “I love you, too.”

Lips lock and hands fly and it’s not long before a repeat of Iceland happens right on Chloe’s couch.

Perfectly content, they lie together, tracing patterns on each other’s skin, talking in whispers about what this means for them, and though nothing on the outside will change, their emotions and vulnerabilities will need a slight adjustment now that they are attaching themselves to someone else. Nadine knows Chloe’s scared, and she is too, but her reassurances calm them both down and she has hope that this is going to work out.

It’s a week later when Chloe asks her about the barbeque.

~x~

“Partied out already?”

Nadine looks up and finds the teasing tone belonging to Nathan. Or Nate, as everyone else addresses him.

“Just taking a moment.”

“Must be weird for you. It still is for me.” He smiles and gestures towards the seat next to her. “May I?”

“Ja, sure.” Nadine instinctually tenses as he sits, but forces herself to relax. There’s no danger here, and besides, out of the two Drake brothers, Nathan never wanted to fight her anyway.

Once he sits, Nate realizes that he doesn’t know what to talk about. He waits another few moments before going, “This is gonna be harder than I thought.”

Nadine chuckles softly. “Probably.”

“Are you having fun?”

“I think so. It’s nice to see Victor again, and Elena’s really lovely.”

“She is, isn’t she?”

“Ja. Don’t know how she can stand you, but each to her own.”

Nate laughs. “I bet you’ll come around eventually. You’ll be dying to hear more of my jokes.”

Nadine simply arches an eyebrow, a smirk clear on her face. “We’ll see.”

Nate glances behind him and then leans in conspiratorially. “Don't tell him I told you, but Sam was kind of excited you’d be coming with Chloe.”

“Really? I think you’re messing with me.”

“Swear to God. But if you wanna mess with him, he’s definitely still scared of you. I’d recommend popping out from behind corners as the go-to tactic.”

Nadine finds herself smiling. “And what about you? Are you still afraid of me?”

Nate narrows his eyes for a moment. “A little. But not enough to where I’d think you’d hurt me. Plus, Chloe’s not scared of you.”

“Well, ja, but I love her.”

The reason is so simple that Nadine blurts it out without thinking. Seconds after, a rush of heat makes its way to her cheeks. Out of all the people she could have said that to…well, at least it wasn’t Sam.

Nate’s expression softened, however. “I know.”

“What?”

“I put it together from bits and pieces I’d heard. And Chloe called a few weeks ago to talk to me about it.”

“Ah, so you’re the phone call she mentioned. Then I suppose I owe you my thanks. Again.”

“It’s not a problem. Happy to help.” He considered her for a moment. “I guess I owe you my thanks too. For rescuing Sam, even though he can be a bit of an asshole sometimes.”

“Sometimes?”

Nate laughs. “Yeah. And for keeping Chloe safe. I’m happy you guys partnered up.”

“Me too.”

“You two are the lamest people here.”

“Speak of the devil,” Nate says as the one and only Chloe Frazer waltzes in through the back door.

“You two would be talking about me.” She smiles and leans down, placing an arm around both of their shoulders. “Come back outside. Sully says food’s almost done.”

“Yep, okay.”

Nate rises from the couch and Chloe covertly rushes in and catches Nadine’s lips by surprise. “Come on China. I miss you out there, too.”

Nadine simply smiles and moves around to the back of the couch. She threads her fingers through Chloe’s, the latter adorning a look of surprise before breaking out into a grin. She squeezes Nadine’s fingers and pulls her back outside.

Neither of them knows exactly where things will lead, or how this relationship will play out, as its different compared to all of their previous ones.

But despite their fears, after their confessions a few weeks ago, none of those worries seem to matter anymore. They’re in this together.

**Author's Note:**

> Can you tell I love Nate being besties with both Chloe and Nadine??? Hehe, but even though they're far from it at this point, I'd love if Nadine and Nate could grow closer one day as well. I can't believe our girl has made it to protag status and every time I see her grouped with the other 5, I feel so proud. She's one of the family now.


End file.
